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Jake Shields has addressed the possibility of his longtime friend and teammate Nate Diaz returning to the UFC to fight Conor McGregor for the third time.
Having departed from the UFC in September 2022, Nate Diaz is set to make his professional boxing debut against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on August 5th, 2023.
Meanwhile, 'The Notorious' has been on hiatus since his first-round TKO (leg injury) defeat against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. The consensus is that McGregor's comeback fight could see him face Michael Chandler. Regardless, it's unclear when the fight would take place.
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In a recent interview with The Schmo, former UFC fighter Jake Shields was asked whether he sees the Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz UFC trilogy fight coming to fruition. The grappling savant responded by suggesting that it's tough to predict. Nevertheless, he implied that the trilogy would be lucrative for all parties involved, including the UFC.
Additionally, the 44-year-old noted that he's "super-invested" in the McGregor-Diaz fights. He recalled serving as Diaz's training partner and cornerman for both fights against McGregor. Shields further indicated that UFC president Dana White ought to pay Diaz well. On that note, outlining the scenario that could make the trilogy a reality, Shields stated:
"He [Diaz] clearly won the first one, and a lot of people thought he won the second one as well. So, I would love to see a third. I think all the fans -- People always come up to me, and they mention that, oh, when are they fighting again? So, it's constantly mentioned... Nate must hear it nonstop."
Shields added:
"I think that's the fight everyone wants to see. They have to do a three. It's a money fight. The thing is Nate's a superstar. He needs to get paid. So, it's up to Dana [White] if he's gonna write the check to make it happen. But I think Nate would jump at it. I think Conor would jump at it. And the fans would love it."
Watch Shields discuss the topic at 2:59 in the video below:
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz - A closer look at one of the biggest rivalries in the UFC
Thus far, American MMA stalwart Nate Diaz and Ireland's Conor McGregor have faced one another in a pair of welterweight bouts inside the UFC's famed octagon. Their first matchup witnessed Diaz replace an injured Rafael dos Anjos and step in on short notice to fight McGregor at UFC 196 in March 2016. The fight ended with Diaz defeating McGregor via second-round submission.
Conor McGregor avenged the submission defeat by beating Nate Diaz via majority decision in an immediate rematch at UFC 202 in August 2016. Diaz has consistently insinuated he was more deserving of the judges' nod than McGregor in the closely-contested fight, while the Irishman disagrees.
In the ensuing years, McGregor and Diaz have expressed interest in fighting each other in a trilogy showdown. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen.
